Email this article to a friend

A universal approach to reducing poverty would address the full spectrum of economic pain in America without separating Americans into categories of deserving and undeserving poor.

In his famous essay on reparations, Ta-Nehisi Coates invoked the policy as a way of “settling with old ghosts.” But, while it is always valuable to reckon with the crimes of history, we believe public policy should focus on weakening the structures of racially stratified, intergenerational poverty that persist in present times. It may sound counterintuitive, but the best way to do this is not through reparations but through universal, race-neutral programs.

There is a clear moral case for restitution to the descendants of slaves. But while certain racially targeted programs have helped level the playing field—affirmative action programs and legislation like the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 come to mind—universal programs to address poverty are more equitable and less divisive.

Consider the fact that the average household wealth of African Americans and Latinos is actually very similar. Cash transfer programs aimed only at African Americans would create significant inequality between America’s two largest ethnic minority groups, which would inevitably foster resentments. And while a smaller percentage of whites live in poverty than African Americans or Latinos, the demographic represents the largest total number of individuals in poverty, which is surely worthy of redress.

A universal approach to reducing poverty would address the full spectrum of economic pain in America without separating Americans into categories of deserving and undeserving poor.

One of the main sources of inequality in the United States is de facto racial segregation. For years, research has shown that segregation leads to worse educational outcomes for black students, which correlates with lower incomes, reduced financial literacy and higher incarceration rates. Desegregation efforts are credited with narrowing black-white educational achievement gaps, particularly in the South, yet many school systems in America remain stubbornly segregated.

Lawmakers could look to zoning reform or busing as ways to ensure racial and socioeconomic diversity in public education, to ensure that the deleterious effects of school and neighborhood segregation are not falling disproportionately on the shoulders of black children. But these policies need not be race-specific.

Wake County, N.C., embarked on an ambitious school integration plan in 2000. The county, acutely aware of political challenges that have hemmed in the ability of local governments to desegregate by race, decided to integrate students based around socioeconomic status instead. The integration of the nation’s 15th largest school district appears to have worked: One 2012 paper found that Wake County had one of the smallest black-white test score gaps in the country, relative to areas with similar expectations based on demographic factors.

Wake County’s example suggests that policy based on socioeconomic status, rather than race, can be less politically polarizing while effectively reducing racial disparities.

Only 26 percent of Americans support a program of cash-based reparations for the descendants of American slaves. But a clear majority supports some kind of expansion of Medicare that would be available to all Americans, and an expansion of Social Security—both of which could help close the racial wealth gap. The policies would benefit African Americans, who are disproportionately uninsured (11 percent, as compared to 7 percent of white Americans) and have lower average savings at retirement ($20,000 per family, as compared to $112,000 per white family). But the policies would equally benefit other racial demographics. Latinos, for example, are uninsured at an even higher rate (19 percent) and have even smaller retirement nest eggs ($18,000 per family).

Another policy that could help reduce the wealth gap is championed by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) as well as some reparations advocates. Booker’s race-neutral baby bonds plan would provide every newborn American with a guaranteed amount of government seed money when they turn 18, no matter their race or background.

It is unclear that a race-based program could actually settle with “old ghosts,” but it would certainly create new specters that would haunt us in the here and now.

Even you characterize your very own comments as "S**T"!?! Why be against expanding public education?

Please start to highlight and recognize logic and fact - that is the point of these comment section - not attacks, insults and propaganda for the R's and D's

Take heart, my delicate little buddy, things do get better. But first lose the arrogance. Fair enough? To quote you... "Give a man a cliche and you alienate him for a lifetime."

Posted by ronbo on 2019-05-23 07:53:50

I've been doing this S**T for a very long time? How old are you, I just want to know if I've been doing this longer than you have been alive.

You have a mental problem. I checked your profile, we agree on an awful lot, almost everything political, but you insist on being insulting. Your arrogance is offensive even to those who agree with you.

I am NOT your lil' buddy. I suspect I am older than you, probably by quite a bit, and have a lot more experience than you at this.

Criticize, attack and insult is delicate? Damn are you confused.

You know nothing, but spout it freely. Until recently I suspected you of being a Trump supporter, now I think you are just a ronbo supporter.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-22 12:41:50

My lil' buddy thinks that this is to be flagged and blocked?!?

"It will get better my lil' buddy. You are new and wet behind the ear. But, it will get better. Wait for it."

Oh my! You must be a special kind of delicate. So delicate that all you can do us criticized, attack and insult with impunity. You are tRump delicate!

Posted by ronbo on 2019-05-22 08:37:00

Apparently you don't give a damn about the truth.

There would not be one teacher sitting in those rooms throughout NYC if the system was willing to deal with the truth. You assume all 700 are guilty. In face the school system does not want to go through the process because they are afraid to find some of the teachers innocent.

One of the former administrator of the NYC school systems said that most of those teachers would be put back in the schools if they went through the process, so they did not go through the process.

It does not take years to dismiss a teacher, it takes years to get administrators to follow the process.

From what I have read, the MINORITY of those teachers are there because they are accused of incompetence.

How many union represented districts have that problem? I have never heard of anything like that in any other district.

You know nothing of unions. If you look at the numbers you just cited for pay growth, that also aligns with the growth of teacher competence with experience, as I found in another source. The first 10 years is the period when the teacher gains the great majority of experience that contributes to better teaching.

All the administration has to do is propose more pay for entry level teachers. Last I heard no union can force the employer to hold wages down.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-21 13:46:07

I have flagged your next response to me. Just thought I'd let you know.

Arrogance is even less appealing among the young and ignorant.

Fortunately, a troll like yourself reveals himself.

Personal attacks over nothing but the other's disagreements prove nothing but the inadequacy of the poster.

Flagged and considering blocking

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-21 13:44:37

Poor bob. Too bad maturity isn't measured by years..

Posted by ronbo on 2019-05-21 06:55:21

I am 71 years old, a veteran, retired 6 years ago after nearly 40 years in factories doing Industrial Automation for the last over 35 years, and have voted against a lot of presidential candidates.

I have been discussing things like this online for nearly 30 years, researching it that long or longer. Yes, we discussed this sort of thing online about 30 years ago. More actually.

I have a collection of reference texts that would exceed many small public libraries, some even fairly large libraries won't have.

You need a few years to catch up with me.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-20 08:21:24

It will get better my lil' buddy. You are new and wet behind the ear. But, it will get better. Wait for it.

Posted by ronbo on 2019-05-20 07:17:18

It's your meme, you live with it. I just criticized you for that sort of thinking.

So, you wait for it.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-19 11:19:56

"they aren't trying to take care of themselves"? Is that the same "they" as those being "othered".

If it looks racist, sexist or bigoted, it probably is. ... (wait for it)... 'BobFromDistrict9'.

Posted by ronbo on 2019-05-19 08:52:03

Do you not recognize the cliche standing of that "Old Saying"?

I get so tired of hearing things like that. Like I said, Jesse Jackson came up with that idea decades ago, do you see it happening?

The idea seems to be they aren't trying to take care of themselves. Justice is the need. Common decency is the need, Truth is what is needed above all.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-19 08:22:34

Apparently, you don't give a damn about the CHILDREN.

If you did, there would be 700 more "teachers" in another profession instead of sitting in rubber rooms throughout NYC collecting a paycheck.

It should not take years to dismiss a teacher for incompetence like in most union represented districts. It isn't the incompetent teacher that loses when it takes years to dismiss, it's the CHILDREN.

If Unions are so great, why do they screw their new members? Entry level teachers would not earn next to nothing so tenured teachers can earn more than double the entry level rate. (National AVERAGE teacher makes about $60 k per year for a 205 work day year, the US average teaching starting salary is around $38k that grows to about $80k after 10 yrs. (Source: NEA union).

As one of the teacher union officials famously said: "We'll start representing the interests of children when children pay union dues."

Posted by John Smith on 2019-05-19 07:51:49

Always so negative. What happened?

Posted by ronbo on 2019-05-19 07:08:15

Don't really think about the Teacher's Unions. I think about the teachers. Who just happen to need unions.

If workers were commonly treated decently and honestly and paid well there would be no unions.

The unions see to it the teachers get a decent income and are treated honestly and fairly. The Schools SHOULD do that, the community SHOULD do that, but they don't. Which is why they need unions.

The fact that you don't give a damn about those who are teaching the children is why we have a problem with teaching the children.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-18 22:11:00

You can't fix the schools when you think more about the teacher unions than you do about the inmates.....oops, children.

Posted by John Smith on 2019-05-18 20:01:01

Many years ago Jesse Jackson suggested fixing the schools as the reparations.

You just catching up?

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-18 18:21:02

Perhaps because they would be put in the private education plantation.

Charter schools tend to stink. Unless they are charter schools for the wealthy that is.

Fix the public schools, simple enough.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-18 18:19:38

Give a man a cliche and you alienate him for a lifetime.

Posted by BobFromDistrict9 on 2019-05-18 18:18:11

But these are the same people who are against the school vouchers that would help poor children escape the Public Education Plantation.....

Posted by John Smith on 2019-05-18 06:37:53

Offer expanded public education to the poor as reparations.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.